Directive No. 4/BYT-CT on concentrating all capabilities to control the increasing malaria situation

DIRECTIVE

OF THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH NO. 4/BYT-CT DATE 25-2-1987

ON CONCENTRATING ALL CAPABILITIES TO CONTROL

THE INCREASE IN MALARIA SITUATION

After many years of striving, the work to eliminate malaria nationwide has achieved significant results, contributing to serving people's health, economic construction, and national defense.

However, in recent years, malaria has shown a trend of increasing again, adversely affecting people's lives and productivity. Besides various objective reasons (large population movement, difficulties in socio-economic conditions, professional technical issues, weak operation of the healthcare network...), the main reason is the relaxation of leadership and neglecting the prevention and control of malaria.

The urgent requirement now is to take every measure to prevent malaria from increasing in 1987, laying the foundation for gradually reducing it in subsequent years. First and foremost, efforts must be concentrated on effectively implementing the first wave of the malaria control campaign in March and April 1987, meeting the quality requirements of professional technical measures (DDT spraying, patient management and treatment, epidemiological surveillance...), further consolidating organizational structure, and intensifying propaganda and mobilization to encourage the public's active participation in malaria prevention measures (using bed nets, clearing bushes, releasing fish to eat mosquito larvae, eating seaweed, smoking out mosquitoes, seeking blood tests when feverish, taking full doses of medication...). Special attention should be given to malaria hotspot areas serving the three major state economic programs.

The Ministry of Health requests localities and units to implement the following tasks:

1. For Provincial Health Departments:

Health Departments must consider malaria prevention and control as the focal point of their entire sector's work in 1987. In the short term, they must concentrate all forces to implement the spring campaign for malaria control with high-quality standards. Department leaders must directly guide and bear responsibility for the campaign's results. To ensure success, the Health Department should propose to the Provincial People's Committee to work with the Finance Department to secure sufficient malaria funds at the beginning of the year to purchase medicine, chemicals, organize DDT spraying teams, and semi-professional treatment teams to ensure the quality of professional measures and avoid waste. The department needs to mobilize the entire sector's forces (hospital staff, surrounding agencies' personnel, medical school students...) who have been trained professionally to serve as the core force for the campaign.

Following the offensive campaign, the department must focus on addressing recruitment, professional training, and effective organization of additional labor for malaria control. At the same time, they need to strengthen the grassroots healthcare network; enhance and create conditions for specialized clinics to improve their operational capacity to assist lower levels, direct county health departments, hospitals, new economic zones, forestry farms, factories, schools, and agencies to fully comply with malaria regulations. Particularly, the Health Department must direct pharmaceutical companies to ensure a constant supply of malaria medicines for all levels and treatment facilities to achieve the ultimate goal of leveraging the offensive campaign's success, continuing to reduce malaria and meet the set targets for 1987.

2. For health sectors of various industries: Depending on each industry's nature, especially rubber, forestry, agriculture, food processing, transportation, armed forces... they need to develop comprehensive malaria prevention plans for their respective sectors. Health sectors must proactively coordinate with local health authorities to closely cooperate regularly and during the malaria prevention campaigns for their units as well as nearby residents. Industries need to mobilize their own financial resources or funds from joint ventures and international cooperation programs to address the demand for malaria medicines and chemicals (following the guidance of the Health Department).

Malaria often occurs in new economic zones. To serve the state's plan to redistribute the population, the Ministry requires Health Departments to closely coordinate with population relocation agencies to fully implement the Ministry of Health's regulations on malaria prevention for this group.

3. For malaria, parasitology, and insect institutes:

Malaria, parasitology, and insect institutes need to concentrate their forces to guide and support localities and sectors in effectively implementing the offensive campaign, planning to guide localities in training and organizing the use of additional labor for malaria control (collecting and reporting results to the Ministry). In 1987, there will still be certain difficulties regarding the production and distribution of malaria medicines. Institutes need to closely coordinate with the Pharmaceutical Enterprise Union and related Departments to ensure medicine needs. Simultaneously, they need to organize good cooperation with the Soviet Union and international organizations on malaria work.

4. For the Pharmaceutical Enterprise Union:

Medicines for the 1987 plan are still lacking. The Pharmaceutical Enterprise Union must strictly direct the production of medicines with available raw materials to complete by the end of the first quarter of 1987 and the beginning of the second quarter of 1987. At the same time, they need to plan the production of the remaining medicines for 1987 and medicines for 1988 when additional raw materials are available. The Pharmaceutical Enterprise Union needs to expedite the import of raw materials purchased abroad.

The Pharmaceutical Enterprise Union needs to plan the allocation of medicines to localities according to professional requirements, ensuring accurate quantities, types, and timing, especially for the first wave campaign (March and April 1987).

5. For Departments:

- Sanitation and Epidemic Prevention Department. In addition to directing and inspecting localities and health sectors of various industries to implement the malaria prevention plan; working with the Malaria Parasitology and Insect Institute to promptly identify difficulties and advise the Ministry on solutions, they need to continue performing the role of coordinating various units on issues related to medicines, funding, and labor for malaria control.

- Planning Department. In addition to creating sources of medicines, chemicals, and supplies for malaria, they need to pay attention to adjusting the priority plan for malaria, monitoring and assisting in the implementation of international cooperation programs on malaria. Regarding Soviet aid (plan 1986-1990), the Department needs to work with the State Planning Committee to ensure the needs for medicines and supplies for malaria.

- The Financial and Accounting Department must allocate priority funds for malaria. It is necessary to resolve financial difficulties for localities in implementing Circular No. 10-TT/LB jointly issued by the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Finance.

- The Treatment Department. Treatment facilities have a significant responsibility in preventing and controlling malaria. Therefore, it is necessary to direct these facilities to fully implement all regulations set by the Ministry regarding malaria (blood sampling, proper treatment according to protocols, participation in mobile treatment teams, epidemic control, education on malaria prevention...) and reduce the mortality rate due to malaria at these facilities.

- The Labor and Salary Department. It is necessary to focus on implementing regulations and guiding localities in adhering to recruitment standards, policies, and benefits for additional staff assigned to malaria work. Guide the monitoring of the full implementation of established policies and benefits. At the same time, study and propose preferential policies for malaria staff.

- The Organization and Cadre Department. It is necessary to study and propose directives to strengthen specialized malaria organizations in provinces and districts, especially key malaria districts, based on the newly supplemented labor force to meet the current increasing demand for malaria control.

- The Training Department. It is necessary to direct medical schools to participate in the offensive campaign and other malaria prevention activities.

There should be a plan to review the content and training programs for malaria prevention at educational institutions and cadre training centers.

It is necessary to study and propose an increase in the quota for specialized malaria training for future years.

- The Health Promotion Center:

It is necessary to intensify propaganda and education on malaria prevention through various forms so that the public understands how to prevent it.

Controlling malaria is a focal point of the entire sector's work in 1987 and subsequent years. The goal for 1987 is to strive to keep the malaria incidence from increasing compared to 1986. The Ministry requires localities and units to fulfill their assigned tasks and be responsible to the Ministry for the results (reporting to the Ministry quarterly). The Ministry will organize periodic inspections of the implementation of these requirements.

Any difficulties encountered during the implementation process should be promptly reported to the Ministry (Preventive Medicine Department) for research and resolution.